Note: Elisha Bailey was in court on this day, 176 years ago!

REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION RECORD of ELISHA BAILEY – W. 8344

State of Kentucky

Adair County

On this 1st day of July 1833 personally appeared in open court, before the county court for the County aforesaid now sitting Elisha Bailey a resident of Adair County and state aforesaid, aged 69 years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declarations, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 1st 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.

That he entered the service in the spring of 1781 under Capt. Leak in the County of Albemarle and state of Virginia, where he then lived, in the month of April, but does not recollect the particular date of the month. The regiment and number thereof he does not recollect, but the Commander was either General Nelson or Lawson. He was however under the command of both in this tour and the other in a subsequent term, which he will speak about.

That he marched from Albemarle County to Richmond Virginia, then to Cabinpoint, lay there sometime, then marched to Fredericksburg, and was then dischargedby Capt. Leak in writing but his discharge has been long since lost. This tour was three months.

That in a short time after he was discharged and returned home, he engaged as a substitute for Zackariah Roberts under Capt. Barnett who was under Colonel Campbell and marched to York and lay there sometime and then marched about through the country to avoid the enemy as we were not at that time strong enough to go into action and then returned to York and there remained until after Cornwallis was taken, at the taking of whom he was present, after which he with others marched to the Maryland line to guard the prisoner’s that far.

He was then discharged but by whom he does not recollect the discharge is however lost. He would here state that the time under Capt. Barnett when he was a substitute for Zackariah Roberts was two months an he got only a verbal discharge, if any. That when he was at the taking of Cornwallis he was under Capt. Leak, the Col. under whom he was he does not recollect, but that Layfayette and General Washington were the Commander-in-Chief, that this last tour under Capt. Leak was about three months and he received a verbal discharge but from whom he does not recollect.

He states that in the first tour under Capt. Leak he served three months. The second tour he was under Capt. Barnett & Col. Campbell two months. The third tour under Capt. Leak three months, making in all eight months he served.

That he was born in the year 1764 the month not recollected. He has no record of his age. He lived in Albemarle County, Virginia after his service several years, the exact time he cannot recollect. He then removed to the County of Lincoln in the State of Kentucky lived there sometime, then removed to the County of Adair where he now resides.

That he is known in his neighborhood to Harrison M. Gill, Alex Walker and Jackson Atkins. That he has no documentary evidence that he knows of, no person living by whom he can prove his service. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension and annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension Rolls of the agency of any state.

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid

Elisha Bailey

We Samual Wilson, a clergyman residing in the County of Adair and Charles Scaggs, residing in the same county, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Elisha Bailey, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration. That we believe him to be 69 years of age, that he is respected and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion.

Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid

Samuel Wilson

Charles Scaggs

And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogations prescribed by the War Department (rest is missing)

Certificate of Pension was issued September 23,1833 at $26.66 per year. Recorded in Book 6, Volume 7, Page 4